A Flicker In The Darkness
by smartcat
Summary: The war is still raging but Hermione, Harry and Ron have been captured. Their prospects look pretty grim. Is there any hope left?


My second oneshot. Hope you guys like it. This one is _way_ different from the stuff I've written before so let me know if you like!

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"Move it Mudblood," said a Death Eater as he pulled the leash encircled around Hermione's neck. Hermione felt herself yanked forwards, her bare feet scratching against the stone floor. She shivered internally, dreading what was to come.

It had been three years since the last battle. She remembered sitting in the tent with Harry and Ron as they discussed their ambush attack that was to take place the following night. Ron was so confident and Harry looked so brave with the elder wand in his hand. She sighed. That night had become a reoccurring nightmare. Harry and Ron crept alongside her as they circled the Death Eater safe house. Tonks and Lupin had been there the morning before, scouting the grounds. According to the scout reports, there were ten Death Eaters stationed there. It was supposed to be an easy win. Hermione had positioned herself right below the window. She was to give the signal for the others to attack. She remembered crouching there, waiting quietly for the voices inside to die down. When they finally did, she waited another ten minutes before giving the signal. Harry and Ron snuck towards her. Mad Eye Moody, Shacklebolt, Lupin, Tonks and Bill Weasley crashed through the door. She, Harry and Ron followed. What met them inside made her heart stop. Voldemort was sitting in an armchair. The room had been charmed. It was occupying nearly a hundred of his followers. They didn't stand a chance. Immediately Tonks and Lupin were killed, right before her eyes. Neville charged in from behind and was shot by Bellatrix's crucio. Ron was jumped by Rodolphus, Harry had been stunned by Yaxley. She remembered being hit with a disarming spell by Goyle's father. She had managed to dodge it and several other spells as she tried to get closer to Voldemort. Nagini was wrapped around the armchair…if she could just hit the damn snake with the killing curse, they would be done with the horcruxes. She never got the chance. She was hit with a stunning spell right before she got a good shot.

Three years later, the war was still brewing. Voldemort had steadily been gaining followers and it looked pretty bad. The whole world was now involved in this debacle. Many of the terrorist groups had joined to fight alongside Voldemort and his followers. America was having a hard time defending its land, and Death Eaters from Europe had annihilated half their wizards and witches. Britain no longer resembled itself. Fires were constantly erupting from spells and gunfire; the streets were littered with innocents. It was a living hell.

"Get through the door you filthy whore!" the Death Eater shouted again. Hermione was thrown through the doors and right into the center of Death Eaters. The week was over, and it was time for entertainment. Voldemort was sitting in his armchair grinning evilly. About a year ago he was able to remold his body with a forbidden spell, now he sat there looking smug wearing the face of his seventeen year old self.

"My my…the smartest witch of her age," he leered, "Come to be this night's entertainment." Voldemort flicked his wrist and Hermione saw Harry and Ron hauled in. She sighed in relief, they were still alive…barely but still alive.

"Crucio!" Voldemort yelled. Harry's body jumped as his wailing filled the air. Everyone laughed.

"How about we start with the red one first this time, my lord," Bellatrix purred.

Voldemort grinned, "Bella…my dear Bella…I'll even let you do the honors."

Bellatrix lunged forward and stood in the middle of the ring formed by her comrades. She cast a stunning spell at Ron who was barely even standing. The spell hit him square in the chest. Bellatrix grabbed a hold of his hair and pulled him to the middle. She mumbled a spell under her breath and Ron's head rolled.

"I'm going to play a little game with you Potter," she giggled cruelly, "If you scream I get to break his finger. Scream ten times and your mate here will lose ten fingers, understand?"

"You're…a bloody…fucking…whore," Harry spat.

Ron gave a yelp as Bellatrix kneed him in the groin. Hermione had tears formulating in her eyes. Rudolphus had grabbed a hold of her hair and was pulling it tight. Her arms had been bound behind her back. She couldn't even look away. She watched at Bellatrix performed the crucio curse on Harry. The pain painted on Harry's face was as clear as daylight, yet he did no utter a single sound. Blood ran from his mouth. Hermione realized he was biting his tongue to keep from yelling out. It was horrible.

"Damn this boy," she cursed.

Voldemort chuckled, "Crucio!"

Harry yelled.

Bellatrix broke one of Ron's fingers

Ron screamed.

Hermione sat there crying.

They managed to break six more of Ron's fingers before Harry passed out from the pain. Now it was her turn. Some of the female Death Eaters left, but not Bellatrix Lestrange. She stayed. At least Harry wasn't going to see this, she thought. Ron however, was wide eyed. Hermione was thrust into the circle. The ring of men had tightened around her, each eager to get a go. Mulciber was first in line. This was to be his reward for 'cleansing' a town up North. He grabbed her hair and pulled it back hard until she screamed. He pushed her down with his foot till she was on her knees groveling. Then he took her like a dog. Hermione tried to disengage the pain from her body. She tried to transfer her mind to another place…a lake with row boats…flowers blooming in the meadow. Red ones with petals as soft as silk. The rape would go on until Ron was knocked unconscious. Every time he yelled he would get crucioed by a nearby Death Eater. Ron knew this, so he yelled at every chance he got. The more noise he made, the sooner the darkness would come and the sooner Hermione's torture would cease. Ron fainted mid fourth Death Eater. Tears caked with dirt glistened on his face. Hermione's own tears fell on the stone cold floor. Her barely clad body shivered from the pain and cold. Harry had been taken back to his cell in the dungeons. Ron was being carried back as well. Each had his own personal four by four cell with nothing to pass the time by. Hermione was to go back to being chained in Voldemort's bedchamber. She would then be left there until the following week when the torture of her body began anew.

"Take her to the Malfoy Manor," Voldemort ordered, "Lucius wants to test out the torture device he ordered from Aheeb, the pureblood from the Middle East. Hermione's heart sank. She prayed for death to come and claim her…she couldn't take anymore of this! The leash around her throat was yanked and Hermione nearly choked for the fifth time today. She stood shakily as the mess the men left trickled down her legs. She was led to an apparating point and soon found herself standing inside the Malfoy Manor. Yaxley led her down the hall and she soon found herself in front of none other than Lucius Malfoy. He was looking over a letter. When he looked up, he glanced her over and waved his hand.

"Take her to the kitchen. Place the bounding spell upon her right leg and left arm," he said.

"But Lucius, we are required to keep the three of the Chosen One bound in chains," Yaxley reminded him.

Lucuis gave him a pointed glare, "I said place the bounding spell upon her right leg and left arm. Am I clear?"

Yaxley nodded, "Yes Lucius." He then proceeded in dragging her to the kitchen. Hermione for the first time in three years felt the ropes that bound her hands loosen. She sighed in relief…then the pain hit. When she moved her arms forward the muscles in her arms stung. She hissed. She was going to have to take it slow. Yaxley did some mumbling and chanting as he placed the spells in the places Lucius ordered. Hermione eyed a sharp knife sitting on the counter. As soon as Yaxley turned his back, she lunged for it. The pain this time wasn't from the muscles, she was prepared for that one…this time it came from her left arm and right leg. It was excruciating! Her limbs felt like they were on fire! She looked down at her arm and leg. They had turned reddish color. Yaxley whistled, "Well isn't that something. I didn't think it would work that well."

Hermione stopped thinking about grabbing the knife and the pain suddenly stopped. This was terrible.

A bit later, she was brought back to Lucius. He took one look at her and smiled.

"I see you've encountered the Evinixi spell. You see Miss Granger, once such a spell has been cast on a certain individual, that said individual can't even think of committing harm to the people around them…they can't even commit any harm unto themselves. While you are on the Malfoy grounds, you are under the spells influence. Thereby, you are as harmless as a fly…annoying, but harmless." Lucius checked his watch, "While you are here, you are to obey any and every command issued to you by me or anyone present at this Manor. If you disobey, the spell will be forced to make you listen. Are we clear?" He didn't even wait for her response.

"I have asked one of the elves to run a bath for you. We will not have you dripping dirt everywhere you step. Pannila!" A house elf with floppy ears appeared, "Take Miss Granger to her bath." The house elf nodded and motioned for Hermione to follow.

Well this isn't so bad, Hermione thought, I'm getting a bath and I could walk around.

"I will require your presence in the dungeon tomorrow afternoon," Lucius added before Hermione turned the corner. She shivered.

After her pleasant but short bath, Hermione was ordered to bring up a package into the library. She made her way slowly up the grand staircase. The house elf Tippy told her that the library was up the stairs and all the way down to the left. Hermione pushed opened the grand doors and stepped in. It had been a long time since she saw a library. Seeing so many books made her think of the many times she spent leafing through the books in the library at Hogwarts. She caressed a book lying half-open on the table and sighed. No more…there was no longer any happiness in this land. The world had gone insane. She walked a little further into the library, noting all the shelves upon shelves of books. Despondently she turned back to go place the package back on the table.

"Hermione?" a voice behind her said.

Hermione turned around. The room was dark. Many of the curtains had been drawn after the sun had set. Hermione strained her eyes to see who had spoken her name. The figure began to approach. Hermione took a step back. Out of the darkness came the figure of Draco Malfoy. He had been watching her, unsure if it was indeed the bookish girl from his school days.

"It's you right, Hermione Granger?" he said.

"Malfoy?" she stammered.

"Oh thank Merlin! Thank Merlin!" he grabbed her and crushed her to himself all the while mumbling his thanks. Hermione was so shocked she couldn't even move her body. Why in the world would Draco Malfoy be happy to see her?

"Thank you oh thank you!" Hermione could barely breathe he was crushing her to himself so hard.

"Draco…what's going on?" she asked.

He released her from his iron hug and looked her in the eye, "Not here," he grabbed her hand and pulled her from the library. They made their way down the hallway until Draco stopped at a door with a silver handle. He pushed it open and pulled her inside. Hermione found herself standing in a massive bedroom. There was a bed to the right richly decorated, emerald green curtains nearly completely covered a large bay window overlooking a garden. Draco gave his wand a flick and the door was soon not only locked, but Hermione saw five silver shields, one on top of the other guarding the door.

"No one can come in now, or hear anything that goes on in here for that matter," he told her. He had in these few minutes composed himself completely. Hermione didn't quite know what he wanted from her. He was definitely not going to rape her, she got that much from the 'thank you Merlins' he kept repeating over and over in the library.

"What's going on?" she asked again.

Draco walked over to a desk and pulled out a lengthy piece of parchment, "This is a list of all the students that attended Hogwarts during our time there," he handed her the list, "Every name with an 'X' next to it means that that person had been killed during the war. The ones with an 'O' are missing and the ones with a letter 'A' are the ones with a description on the back."

Hermione's eyes searched the list. There were so many Xs. Nearly seventy-five percent of them had an X next to their name. Her eyes began to water when she saw an X next to Neville's name. Bellatrix had killed him the night of their 'ambush'. There was a letter A next to Pansy's name. She turned the parchment around. Pansy was with her mother on their estate in New Zealand. There was an O next to Ron, Harry and her name.

"Everyone is either dead, dying or missing. I know barely of anyone's whereabouts. The world has gone bloody insane! No one listens to reason! Anyone who speaks out against this madness gets executed on the spot!" Draco went on, "I hate this war! By the time they're done killing everyone, there won't be a single human being left! But now, I know you're alive. That's one more person then I had before. Blaise, Goyle, Crabbe and Nott are all dead. Our side is losing people everyday but that doesn't stop these crazed people!"Draco slumped his shoulders, "But there is nothing I can do…everyone is too afraid to stand against them."

Hermione watched him. This wasn't the Draco she knew.

"I'm not going to let them take you from me. I've found you now, you'll be safe," he said more to himself then to her.

"You're going to help me…a mudblood?" Hermione quirked her eyebrow.

Draco's eyes glazed over with anger, he grabbed her chin and pulled her face close to his, "Don't you ever say that about yourself again, you hear! There is no such thing! Mudbloods, halfbloods, purebloods, muggles who cares! We're all people and we're all dying!" he seethed.

Hermione stared at him for a bit. She watched as his breathing evened out. He let go of her chin and sat himself down on the bed.

"I know where Harry and Ron are," she said quietly.

He looked up at her, "Where?"

"They are held inside the cells of Voldemort's dungeon. Harry can defeat him; he is the only one who can. However, Voldemort holds him captive and uses him, Ron and me as entertainment. He tortures us in front of his Death Eaters every week." Hermione said.

"It's amazing he hasn't killed Potter yet," Draco shook his head in disbelief.

"He finds it more useful to keep him around as a punching bag," Hermione said thinly. Draco nodded his head in understanding.

"How did you get here?" Draco finally decided to ask.

"Your father has acquired a torture device from the Middle East. I am to be his test subject," Hermione shivered.

Draco's eyes widened, "He's insane…" Draco got up and walked to the door, "Stay here and don't go anywhere, I'll be right back."

Hermione waited quietly in Draco's room. She was wondering if she could turn Draco into an ally. He seemed to hate the war and everything it was about so maybe…just maybe…

Draco returned a few minutes later, his silvery blue eyes met hers, "Seems like torture is going to be postponed for a week or two…or three," He grinned.

For the next few days, Hermione spent her time in the library. Lucius was livid that the torture device the Middle East sent them was faulty. He was constantly sending and receiving owls from their allies in the Middle East. They assured him that they would send over a new machine, however it would take nearly two months for it to get there.

Hermione had tried escaping from the Manor but as soon as the thought popped into her mind her arm and leg would start acting up again.

Voldemort had come for dinner and Lucius explained to him the setbacks of the torture device. Voldemort was unhappy to hear it but he was in too good of a mood to let a thing like this put him down. He was flying over to Russia to plan an attack on one of the larger cities there. He requested that Lucius keep the mudblood while he was gone. By the time he'd get back the torture device should be here and things should be moving along smoothly. Lucius nodded assuring Voldemort that it would be so. Once Voldemort had gone, Draco requested his father if he could have Hermione as his personal servant. Lucius didn't mind it at all and gave him his permission. So for the last two weeks, Draco's room had become a safe haven to Hermione.

Draco would bring her books to read, make her eat her meals and talked to her about anything and everything. It didn't take long for Hermione's body to rejuvenate and return to a healthy glow. However, her heart was another matter. One night Hermione and Draco were sitting atop his bed reminiscing of the times spent in Hogwarts when Hermione suddenly started to cry.

"Hermione what's wrong?"

Hermione tried to stop the tears flowing down her face, but couldn't. Draco put a comforting arm around her shoulders and stroked her hair in an effort to calm her down.

"Hey Hermione," he said soothingly, "Remember when you got so mad at me that one time you forgot you had your wand and you punched me in the face? I couldn't wiggle my nose for an entire week!" Hermione laughed mid cry.

"Then there was that time when you and I caught those two third years snogging in the broom closet. While we were arguing which punishment to dish out, the two of them scampered away."

"It was actually my fault," Hermione smiled, "I intentionally began arguing with you to give them the chance to get away." Draco rolled his eyes, a smile played on his face, "Knew it."

Hermione looked up at him wide-eyed, "You knew?"

"Oh please, I' not that cold hearted of a git," he pushed her shoulder playfully, "I was intentionally arguing with you so that they could get away."

Hermione laughed, and soon forgot whatever it was that made her cry.

A month and a half had passed and Hermione was waiting anxiously for Draco to return from his Death Eater mission. She sat on her bed in his room waiting. It was close to midnight when he returned. His shirt was soaked in blood. No one was in the manor tonight. Narcissa had gone to stay with Amaryllis Nott, the women was expecting to deliver a young son any day now. Lucius had a meeting with some of the French pureblood extremists so he was staying in France now. It had just been her and the house elves all day.

"Draco!" Hermione flew at him to make sure none of the blood was his.

It wasn't

"I tried staying out of the fight," he mumbled, "But that damned muggle man was firing his gun at me…"

Hermione wasted no time in pushing Draco into the bathroom. She pulled off his blood soaked shirt and yelled at him to take a bath. She waited patiently outside. Earlier this morning they had been talking about freeing Ron and Harry.

"If we can just get them out of there," Hermione said, "Harry could take out Voldemort."

"You're forgetting Nagini," Draco added as he downed a butterbeer, "You need to kill that snake first. Not only that, but where would we go once we get them free? We can't stay here."

Hermione nodded. They had to think harder.

Draco finally emerged from the bath. His hair was dripping slightly as he ran a towel through it one more time. His white cotton shirt hugged his body close. The black pants he donned made him look every bit as wonderful as he was. Hermione watched him sit on his bed. Her heart fluttered. Every day she felt herself drawn more and more to Draco. He wasn't at all like he used to be. He cared. He cared a lot about everyone. He smiled at her and she smiled back.

There is was again, that warm feeling in her stomach.

But he didn't want her that way. He treated her just as Harry and Ron did.

She walked over and sat beside him.

"I think I've figured out a way to get into Voldemort's dungeon," he said.

Hermione quirked an eyebrow, "Oh really."

"Honestly, I think I've figured it out," Draco insisted she listen, "All I need are two dead bodies. I've been reading about this ancient substitution spell. I could cast a glamour spell on a corpse and since a corpse doesn't move the glamour will be intact until someone moves the body. If I can smuggle those two in, I could smuggle Potter and Weasley out. I recently found out that Luna and the survivors from the Order are currently hiding somewhere in the Unites States. With two good brooms we can fly them over the Atlantic and get in touch with the resistance."

"But how are you going to smuggle two dead bodies into the dungeons?" Hermione asked.

"I haven't figured that part out yet," Draco sighed, "But when I do, we're all getting out of here. I can't stand this anymore."

"Let me figure out how to get into the dungeons," Hermione said, "I haven't been called the smartest witch of our age without reason."

Draco smiled, "I'm glad you're here with me Hermione. I think I would have gone insane by myself."

Hermione made a move to stand but Draco grabbed her hand causing her to lose balance and fall right atop him. Her cheeks blushed crimson.

"Uh…sorry," she stammered as she tried to pull herself up.

"Don't be," he smirked. Hermione rolled her eyes and began walking towards her bed in the corner. Draco stood up.

"Hermione come here for a minute."

She turned and walked to him. She looked up at him questioningly. He smiled down at her, and then with a single step he closed the distance between them and took her mouth in his. Hermione's eyes widened as Draco's tongue darted into her slightly opened mouth. His arms encircled her, bringing her closer to him. His kisses were life. Hermione opened up to him, pressing herself closer. She felt him smile. Hermione felt him pull away. Her eyes opened to find his silver orbs glittering.

"You couldn't resist, could you?" he smirked.

There was the Malfoy she knew.

"Oh you're such an arse!"

Draco grinned. He pulled her to himself and continued to kiss her with everything he had. She felt his raw emotion. Hot like the fire forming deep within her. He gently pushed her onto his bed, boxing her underneath him. Her arms came to pull him down to her. Draco slowly trailed kisses down her neck. His hands wasted no time removing her articles of clothing. Soon he could feel her skin underneath his, the warm smooth surface of Hermione Granger. This was life…this was living. Her legs wrapped around him, waiting for the pleasure he was about to bring.

He chuckled in her ear, "I knew you'd one day end up falling for me."

Hermione bit his shoulder, "You just didn't expect you'd do the same."

Draco smirked, "You're right about that."

The night was filled with passionate lovemaking. It was a good thing only the house elves were there, Draco hadn't cast silencing charm…the noises wouldn't have let any human sleep. The next few days followed the same pattern. Draco would come home sometime in the afternoon, they would have dinner together and following dinner was a night full of deliciously indecent activities. A week before the torture device was to arrive, Lucius came back from France. Narcissa came back as well, gushing about how beautiful the baby boy was and how Draco should start looking for a wife so she could spoil her grandchild rotten. Then Draco reminded her of how that baby boy didn't have a father. Narcissa swallowed hard and said no more on the subject.

While Draco was away Hermione figured out how to smuggle the dead bodies into the dungeons. All that was left to do was get the bodies and remove this cursed Evinxi spell. Draco had been ruffling through his father's papers looking for a way to remove it, but had so far found nothing. There were three days left until the torture contraption arrived and Voldemort was due back within a week. Hermione was pacing back and forth in Draco's room, out of anyone's way, when there was a knock on the door. Hermione froze. Draco never knocked and the house elves would just pop in.

Lucius walked in. When he saw her, his eyes narrowed, "What are you doing here?"

"Draco ordered me to stay in his room. I am not allowed to leave," she said quickly.

Lucius watched her for a minute, then dismissed her and came inside. He started ruffling through the paper's on Draco's desk. Just then, Draco walked in. His father straightened up and glared at his son.

"Have you seen my leather journal?" he asked.

Draco thought for a minute, "I think I might have seen it in the library." Lucius nodded, and without further questions, he left. Hermione heaved a sigh of relief. Draco held up a hand for her to keep quiet.

"Get on the bed you whore," he said loudly. Hermione's breath caught.

"I said move it you filthy mudblood!" Draco yelled.

Hermione realized what Draco was doing. She ran to the bed and began making struggling noises. They play acted for a bit, making sure Lucius was gone so they could have some privacy.

"We're going to have to do this tomorrow night," Draco whispered as he shook the bed.

"But how am I supposed to get this curse removed?" Hermione whispered back, throwing in a scream.

"I found out how to remove it," Draco whispered then groaned loudly. Hermione grinned.

"How?" she asked.

"Trust me."

That night Draco brought back two dead bodies. Hermione wrinkled her nose. One was of a young woman the other was of a man who looked to be in his late twenties.

"Say hello to the new Draco and Hermione," he grinned evilly.

Hermione raised an eyebrow waiting for an explanation.

Draco sighed, "These are going to stay here while we escape," he said.

"Where are the ones who are supposed to be Harry and Ron?" she asked.

Draco gave her his signature smirk, "Oh their conveniently hidden right by Voldemort's estate, and check this out," Draco pulled something out of his pocket. Hermione's eyes bulged.

"Potter's invisibility cloak!"

"Where did you find it?"Hermione's voice cracked. Harry lost that cloak during the battle of Hogwarts ages ago.

"Where there is money, there is a way," he joked.

The next day the two of them waited for night to fall. As a cover, Draco had Hermione screaming half the night, just in case his father was suspicious. It was after midnight when Draco finally decided it was time. He placed the two corpses in his bed and placed the glamour on them. Hermione was wearing one of Draco's Death Eater Garb. She stood by her bed waiting for Draco to finish. Once he was done, he grabbed the two brooms he bought out of his Hogwarts chest and opened his window. He and Hermione flew out. Draco quietly closed the window, then he beckoned Hermione to follow him. He flew to the end of the Malfoy estate. Hermione was getting nervous.

"Come here," Draco said.

Hermione flew her broom as close to Draco as she could. Draco pulled out his wand, mumbled a spell Hermione didn't recognize and tapped her forehead with his wand. Hermione felt coldness rush out from her arm and leg. As suddenly as the feeling came it left.

"That should do it," Draco turned and flew off the Malfoy grounds. Hermione took a deep breath and followed. No pain. She sighed in relief. Draco flew over to her and placed a quick kiss on her lips.

"Told you I'd take care of it," he grinned then pulled a wand out of his pocket, "Here's a wand for you. I've got another two for Potter and Weasley."

They flew quietly the rest of the way to Voldemort's estate. Draco began to descend, Hermione followed. She watched Draco go behind a pair of trees. She flew her broom down and got off. Draco was pulling at two bodies, "Grab this one," he said to her, "And follow me."

Hermione pulled the Death Eater mask over her face and grabbed the corpse. Draco walked towards the dungeons purposefully. He gave his wand a flick and a door appeared. He walked through. Inside there was another Death Eater.

"I was told to bring these two men to the dungeons," he said to the Death Eater. The man waved him in. Once they were out of sight Draco began to run towards a set of stairs. Hermione followed, close on his heels. They descended several floors before Draco turned to the left and started down the hallway. Hermione looked into each cell. None of them was the ones holding Harry or Ron.

"Here," Draco whispered.

Hermione closed the distance between them and peered into the two cells. Inside, stretched out on the ground were a bleeding Harry and Ron.

"Their pretty beat up," Draco continued, "Yesterday night was the torture day."

Hermione cast a quick alohamora and the two cells opened. Draco rushed in, placed the corpse on the ground and got to work. Hermione grabbed Harry and pulled him out of the cell. Once Draco was done in Harry's cell, he entered the one Ron occupied. When he was done, he grabbed Ron and pulled him out. Ron let out a whimper.

Now came the hard part…getting out.

Draco cast a spell making Harry and Ron as stiff as boards, and placed Ron atop of Harry. He then proceeded with covering them with the invisibility cloak. Once that was done, Draco took a hold of their arms while facing forwards and Hermione took their legs. Now it just looked like there were two Death Eaters walking down the hallway with roughly a six-foot distance between them. Trying to make it look like they weren't carrying anything was the hard part. Draco had to hold his hands near his sides, which made supporting the weight behind him quite difficult. Hermione was having her own difficulties. She had to maintain her grip on Harry and Ron's feet without having her body disappear behind the cloak. It was turning out to be excruciatingly difficult. The stairs were the hardest. However, once up the stairs they were almost home free.

Draco swallowed hard. Sweat was beading on his brow as he approached the Death Eater that let them inside.

"We're leaving now," Draco said. The Death Eater nodded and let them pass. They continued to walk until they reached the safety of the trees. The two of them gently lowered their burdens onto the ground. Hermione removed the cloak and Draco undid his spell. Harry and Ron sat up looking wide-eyed at Draco and Hermione.

"Quickly," Draco said, "We don't have a lot of time." He handed Harry and Ron each a wand and grabbed the brooms they'd hidden in the brush.

"Why are you helping us Malfoy?" Harry said as he got on the broom behind Draco.

"There needs to be a change and I think you're the only one who can bring it. I've seen too many people die in this war. It isn't even a war worth fighting over! Who cares if you have pure blood rushing through your veins or the blood of a muggle born? It's red anyway. They die the same way. It's insane."

"But you believed in it before," Ron added.

"Well I was stupid," Draco kicked off the ground. Hermione followed with Ron sitting behind her. She flew her broom next to Draco. He smiled, leaned over and gently placed a kiss upon her lips. Harry and Ron exchanged looks but said nothing.

"Where are we going exactly?" Harry finally asked.

"To join the resistance," Hermione and Draco said together.

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Well? What did you think? Please leave a review! I'd really like to know what you thought. Also, tell me if you want me to write a sequel.

Xoxoxoxo

-Smartcat


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